1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus which is suitable for use in a vehicle for transmitting vehicle-related information in and out of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP 1 150 098 A1 discloses a vehicle navigation system having a plurality of units which are coupled to one another. The units comprise an input/output unit, a route planning unit and a position finding unit. The navigation system is designed to determine a route between a starting point and a destination taking account of possible intermediate destinations, which hotels, for example, or else traffic information, which can be requested using the radio data system (RDS), for example. In addition, the navigation system also comprises a database with data about the distances between prescribed road sections, the associated probable journey time therefor and a road classifications. Furthermore, the navigation system also comprises a logbook computer which stores schedules from the past, accrued invoices or other costs. Depending on the information in the database, in the logbook computer and also depending on the RDS system, the navigation system is designed to ascertain the respective route from the starting point to the destination. The individual components of the navigation system may be coupled to one another by means of Bluetooth interfaces or else by means of GSM interfaces.
The English abstract JP 2003-130669-A likewise discloses a navigation system for vehicles which comprises a route planning and processing unit and an alternative route calculation unit. The route planning and processing unit is designed to ascertain a route to a set destination position. It is also designed to allocate route information on the basis of costs which are associated with the respective road sections of the respective route. Such costs are disclosed as a highway or toll road.
DE 19640735 propose a telematics appliance which contains a car radio with an RDS module, a radio telephone, a position finding and navigation system in a housing. The housing is designed such that it can be fitted into the standardized slot on the dashboard of a motor vehicle. The telematics appliance can be used to receive both generally relevant information via the car radio and individual information via the GSM module. In addition, data about the vehicle position, a desired destination or an emergency call, for example, can be sent to the control center. The control center calculates one or more destination routes and returns them to the telematics appliance. In the case of an accident or a breakdown, an appropriate emergency call is sent and help is fetched.
To further improve the safety individual mobility, it is also necessary to use external information sources in addition to the information sources which can be fitted into a vehicle. This allows a more extensive picture of the environment to be obtained, since visual obstructions are not a disturbance and it is possible for more extensive information to be interchanged. Mobile radio technology interacting with further methods allows information to be interchanged from vehicle to vehicle and from vehicle to infrastructure.
The necessary cross-manufacturer standardization of radio technology and protocols is currently being advanced in the Car2Car communication consortium (C2C CC). Besides the interchange of information over short distances, it is additionally also always necessary to interchange data with a central infrastructure, for example in order to be able to send emergency calls or for example in order to recover stolen vehicles. To this end, use is usually made of radio telephone modules (GSM/UMTS) and satellite positioning systems (GPS/Galileo). To get an improved picture of the vehicle environment, not only these communication devices but also information about the environment are necessary, i.e. a map of the environment is required for a large number of progressive functions. This map information, as is used in navigation systems, for example, is a very expensive component of a telematics system, however, on account of its volume and the need to keep it up to date.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a method and an apparatus for transmitting vehicle-related information which can be used easily, inexpensively and flexibly in vehicles.